Junior B hockey wants fans in arenas

30 per cent capacity sought for return-to-play

Junior B teams in the province will play before as many as 943 fans if the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League receives regulatory approval to permit spectators.

A 40-game regular season is tentatively set to get underway Dec. 2. Under its return-to-play plan, the league is asking public health units and arena operators to open arenas to 30 per cent capacity. In arenas that do not permit reserve seating, the maximum would be 150 fans.

A 30 per cent cap would exceed the average 2019-20 regular-season attendance for the five GOHL teams based in Niagara, including the Pelham Panthers whose average attendance of 288 represented 28.8 per cent capacity of Meridan Community Centre in Fonthill.

The St. Catharines Falcons, whose home ice is 3,145-capacity Jack Gatecliff Arena, and the Niagara Falls Canucks who play out of 2,170-capacity Gale Centre, averaged 421 and 419 fans, respectively, in league play last season. That translates to 13.4 per cent and 19.3 per cent of arena capacity.

Averaging 276 fans per game, the Thorold Blackhawks filled 15.7 per cent of the 1,755 seats at Thorold Community Arena, while the Fort Erie Meteors’ per-game draw of 177 was 11.1 per cent of the Leisureplex’s 1,600 capacity.

Members of extended households will need to sit together, and household groups would be separated by at least two metres to further ensure physical distancing.

Under the return- to- play plan, masks would be required and spectators would have to complete contact- tracing forms. Fans will not be allowed within two metres of players and team personnel as they enter and leave the ice surface.

Currently, teams playing in the same region are paired together in 50-person bubbles, which this month means Niagara Falls will only be allowed to play controlled scrimmages against St. Catharines and Pelham versus Thorold. In October, the Panthers shared their bubble with Fort Erie.

The league wants bubbles for teams expanded to include every team in a conference.

In the Golden Horseshoe’s case, that would also include the Caledonia Corvairs and the Hamilton Kilty B’s. Both the Buffalo Regals and Welland Jr. Canadians opted to take a leave of absence for a year.

A message left with GOJHL commissioner Mark Tuck was not returned at press time.

Last season, the Stratford Warriors, at 992 fans and 35.1 per cent of arena capacity; and Sarnia Legionnaires, 990 fans, 43-per cent capacity; led the league in average attendance.